Ladera Rampage Shooter Ignored School Outreach

The Ladera Ranch student who wounded three and killed four in a shotgun rampage ignored a chance for academic assitance from Saddleback College, according to documents obtained by the Lariat student newspaper.

Ali Syed, 20, was failing college. He saw a generalist counselor July 11 and immediately applied for special testing accommodations provided by the school's disabled students’ program.

But when Syed was called by the program—first in August, then September—he never replied, according to school documents. He also didn't respond to an October email from school counseling office.

Program officials wanted to initiate an "NDS screening," according to the documents. A call to Saddleback for details on the screening wasn't immediately returned Friday.

The Lariat, after initially being denied information on Syed, obtained some of his medical information from Saddleback, including the psychological disabilities he listed when applying to Mission Viejo college's disabled services program last summer. The disabilities he listed were:

• ADHD
• Panic Disorder
• Anxiety

Detectives have described Syed as a loner who had few interests besides video games.

Those with ADHD experience problems that include hyperactivity and impulsive behavior, according to the Mayo Clinic. According to Mayo staff, "Early diagnosis and treatment (of ADHD) can make a big difference in outcome."

People who suffer from panic disorder experience intense fear with physical effects, Mayo says. The symptoms can include a "sense of impending doom or danger" and a "fear of loss of control or death."

Some who suffer from panic disorder are afraid to leave the house, Mayo says.

On Feb. 19, Syed shot and killed a 20-year-old woman in his bedroom, then went on a carjacking spree in which he killed two and wounded three before committing suicide on the border between Orange and Villa Park.

Saddleback employs 14 full-time generalist counselors to "provide personal, academic, and career counseling services to students," according to the school website.